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Vacant Homes Schemes
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The Buy and Renew Scheme supports local authorities in purchasing and renewing housing units in need of repair and making them available for social housing use. It is a matter for each local authority to determine a property’s suitability for social housing. It aims to help tackle the problem of dereliction and to improve an area’s appearance.
As a complementary initiative to the Repair and Leasing Scheme, it provides the option for suitable properties to be purchased rather than leased, if that is the property owner’s preference.
The Repair and Leasing scheme is an option for owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their properties up to rental standards.
The scheme provides an upfront loan of up to €60,000 per unit (including VAT) for any works necessary to bring the property up to the required standard. In return the property owner agrees to lease the property to the local authority or an approved housing body (AHB) for 5 to 25 years.
The loan is repaid to the local authority as a reduction in the lease payment over an agreed term.
All properties brought back into use under the scheme must be assessed by the local authority as being required for social housing.
More information on the Repair and Leasing scheme can be found here or by contacting your local authority Vacant Homes Officer.
The Long Term Leasing Initiative allows owners of vacant properties that are in good condition to lease their properties to local authorities. Leasing under this Scheme takes the uncertainty out of being a landlord for terms of up to 25 years. It also provides a guaranteed rental income of up 80%/85% of the market rent each month (depending on the property type), with no vacancies.
The Enhanced Long Term Leasing Scheme is also available for owners of 20 or more vacant properties, with rents set at up to 95% of the market rent, in exchange for additional property management services. Full details of the schemes are available from the relevant Vacant Homes Officer or the Housing Agency.
While the Enhanced Leasing Scheme is still open for applications, it is due to be phased out by 2026 in line with leasing in general, under the Housing for All plan. Any applications under the Enhanced Leasing Scheme from 1st January 2022 will need to be supported by Housing for All delivery targets which have been allocated to Local Authorities.
Other more specific grants and schemes are available to owners of vacant properties, depending on the type of building, for example heritage grants, thatching grants, SEAI energy grants.
For more information on any of the above schemes please contact the Vacant Homes Officer in the local authority where the property is situated.